The New York City Mayor, and Department of Buildings, presented good news in the summer of 2018. They were able to report that there is something of a building boom in the Big Apple. Between January and May of 2018, new construction across all five boroughs topped $15 billion. This outpaced all other cities in the United States.
Injuries and Fatalities at NYC Construction Sites Increase Dramatically Between 2017 and 2018
Sadly, all news was not good when it comes to construction projects in NYC during the first half of 2018. In fact, accidents have occurred with significantly greater frequency in New York City during 2018, when contrasted with the same time period in 2017. The number of accidents increased from 386 in 2017 to 457 in 2018. This represents an alarming increase of over 18 percent.
Statistically, the increase in injuries and fatalities at jobsites was not simply a factor of the increase in new construction in the city. Specifics regarding the significant uptick in construction site accidents and fatalities is presented in a moment.
When a person is injured at a construction site, when an individual has a family member killed as a worker at a jobsite, questions about legal rights naturally arise. This is happening with greater regularity at this time in New York City. If you’ve questions about your legal rights in the aftermath of a New York City construction site accident, The Doan Law Firm has a hotline available for you. The New York City construction accident lawyer hotline at (646) 847-0000 is available to you around the clock, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year – including all major holidays.
New York Construction Accident Fatalities to Date in 2018
The most alarming statistic associated with NYC construction site accidents is that the number of people killed has doubled from what occurred in the same time period in 2017. Eight people died in Big Apple construction site accidents in the first half of 2018 as opposed to four in that same period of time last year.
50 percent of the jobsite fatalities occurred in Manhattan. The causes of death at NYC construction sites thus far in 2018 include:
- Collapse of a 12-story scaffold
- Worker falling down an elevator shaft
- Traumatic head injury when worker was hit by a hoist
- Electrocution
In the state of New York, the personal representative of the estate of a person killed in a construction site accident pursues a wrongful death claim to obtain compensation for certain surviving family members. Keep in mind that a New York city construction site wrongful death case must be filed within two years of a person’s death.
New York Construction Accident Injuries to Date in 2018
As is the case with construction site fatalities, the number of injuries has risen from last year as well. Injuries at New York City construction sites rose by approximately 17 percent in a year. The number of injuries in all five boroughs went from 401 to 469 between the first half of 2017 and the first six months of this year. The injuries sustained at NYC construction sites as of mid-year 2018 are:
- Excavation and soil work – 3
- Material fell – 50
- Mechanical and construction equipment – 17
- Scaffolding – 5
- Worker fell – 115
- Other incidents – 279
Compensation in a construction site accident case depends upon the nature and extent of injuries sustained by a worker together with the specific facts and circumstances surrounding the accident itself. With that said, a construction site accident lawyer typically seeks compensation on behalf of a client for injuries, damages, and losses that include:
- Medical bills and expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Permanent injuries or disability
Protect Your Legal Rights Today
The New York City construction site accident lawyer team at The Doan Law Firm stands ready to fight for you. An initial consultation with a skilled, experienced, compassionate NYC construction site accident lawyer can be scheduled any time by calling (646) 847-0000.
During an initial consultation, we will provide you with an evaluation of your case. You will be able to get answers to your questions as well. There is no charge for an initial consultation with a New York construction site lawyer from our firm.
The Doan Law Firm is located conveniently in New York City at:
14 Wall Street
20th Floor
New York, New York 10005
(649) 847-0000